How do I go about recommissioning my Triumph Stag which has stood for many years?

[TSV8]

My Triumph Stag has stood in my garage for many years and I would like some advice on what I should do to get it back onto the road.
The car was driven into the garage and everything was in working condition at the time.
All advice gratefully appreciated.

[milothedog]

Hi, do you have a name

Firstly you need to tell us a bit more about it like can you turn the engine over by hand. does the car roll freely, if it's a manual is the clutch free.

Don't be tempted to just put in some fresh fuel and a fit a new battery and try it, at the very least, if you can turn the engine by hand take out the plugs and put a drop of oil down each hole and turn it few revolutions by hand and leave it for at least an hour or so. After this If you connect a battery and spin it on the starter make sure you do it with the plugs out and watch for signs that it is getting oil pressure via the light or if it has had a gauge fitted. It will be OK to run it with whatever coolant is still in it but once you have it running I would dump it out and refill with a new antifreeze mix before letting run for too long.

Come back to us with more info and you will get all the help you need from a lot of good folk on here.

Ian

[flying farmer]

First of all, does the engine actually turn over?

If it has not been started for years there is a good possibility it will have seized solid. I would suggest trying to turn the engine over gently with a pipe wrench on the back of the crank pulley. If it does turn, try two complete revolutions carefully, and if you get any tight spots do not force it as it is possible a valve has stuck open and will get bent.(this is why I recommend trying with a wrench rather than the starter motor, once bought a rebuilt engine that had stood for years, seller said it was running on 7 cylinders and this is what had happened)

If the engine turns over ok it is time to look at draining the old fuel out of the tank and replacing with fresh.

Check the entire electrical system, lots of things stop working when stood for years. The fuel line will be full of stale fuel, disconnect the pipe from the carbs and check fresh fuel flows through before re connecting.

If your car is still on points, give them a rub with a bit of fine emery as surface corrosion can prevent them working ( got caught by this on a Toledo engine years ago)


I would recommend taking out the spark plugs and giving a squirt of oil into each cylinder. Leave the plugs out and spin the engine over on the starter until the oil light goes out of pressure shows on the gauge. At least if your engine does start oil will have circulated round the vital bits before any load is put on them.


Put the plugs back in, and see if it will start (having checked oil and water levels of course)


If it does start keep a careful eye on everything, it is not unusual for the water pump to leak after a long lay up, sometimes this is self curing, sometimes not.


If your car is a manual do not be surprised if the clutch is stuck and will not disengage. If all goes well with the engine, give it an oil and filter change. It may be worth doing again after a few hundred miles, I had a TR6 engine fill its oil filter with so much crap it had collapsed in on itself after 500 miles on the road after an 18 year lay up. If the water has stayed in the engine, now would be a good time to drain the system, flush, and replace with fresh antifreeze. I would also replace the gearbox oil after a few miles when any accumulated sludge has been disturbed

The braking system will need a good looking at, expect the rear wheel cylinders to have seized, the brake pipes to be rusty, front calipers to be stuck and all the flexible hoses to be perished. For safety's sake everything will need renewing, and it will help come MOT time.

Best of luck!

Neil

[V Mad]

I would inspect as much of the engine internally as possible. Its not difficult just to take off the cam covers, and check if the valve gear is rusty. Siezed valves can stick and hit the pistons.

I would not try to start a rusty engine.

[TSV8]

Hello Ian,
Thank you for your reply.
In reply to you questions.
I have not tried to turn the engine over by hand.
The car rolls relatively freely.
The car has an automatic gearbox.
How do I go about turning the engine over by hand? What do I need? Does the car need to be raised off the ground?
Regards David

[Motorsport Micky]

I'm with Chris on this.

Vehicle is ok on the ground the wheels will not be moving. I'd check the water level first if it's suspiciously low some of it may have leaked into the engine so beware.
Remove the rocker covers and check the valves and how they look...rusty ? not to good. Oil all the valve stems by hand through the valve springs, remove the spark plugs, pump a drop of oil into all cylinders select neutral or park on the Auto and turn the engine over by hand using a large stilson or pipe wrench on the front crank pulley shaft. It will be a bit stiff but as long as it suddenly doesn't meet solid resistance turning it like this will give you a chance to watch the valve action on the top of the engine ensuring all are depressing and returning correctly. If a valve is stuck down or doesn't return after being depressed or you meet a solid resistance stop turning and remove the rocker shaft that side and try turning the valve stem gently, normally they are only just stuck and a twisting motion breaks the seal and allows movement.

Micky

[TSV8]

Hello Neil,
Thank you for your reply.
I have not tried to turn the engine over by hand.
When you say..."I would suggest trying to turn the engine over gently with a pipe wrench on the back of the crank pulley."...What exactly do you mean by a pipe wrench? Do you mean a large adjustable spanner? If so what size do I need or what size is the flange/nut on the back of the crank pulley? Is the crank pulley easily accessible or do I need the car raised off the ground?
Thank you for your help.
Regards David

[DJT]

This is a pipe wrench. Sometimes called a Stillsons.

[TSV8]

Hello Chris,
Thank you for your reply.
Would you recommend checking the valve gear before trying to turn the engine over by hand.
Is it possible to check whether the valve gear is working satisfactorily without turning over the engine by hand?
If the valve gear is rusty is it possible to rectify this with out dismantling the heads?
Thank you for your help?
Regards David

[TSV8]

Hello Dave,
Thanks for your reply.
That is what I thought Neil meant by a pipe wrench. I have one which I use when I am plumbing but I doubt that will be big enough to use to turn the engine over..
Regards David

[TSV8]

Hello Micky,
Thank you for your reply.
Regards David

[Hettiherald]

Hi David.
Sent you a pm. Might be able to lend a hand.
Dave.